Transfurmers - Lothar_Hex - Multifandom [Archive of Our Own]

The Transfurmers, robots in disguise.

The Pawtobots wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of the Predacons.

The Transfurmers, robots in disguise.

The Transfurmers, more than meets the eye.

The Transfurmers.

“Welcome to another episode of the Trasnfurmers! Join I, your humble narrator, in watching the eternal battle of Pred versus Prey, between the heroic Pawtobots and Evil Predacons.

“Deep below the ocean in the submerged Nemesis space ship, the maniacal MegaFox brainstorms plans with his Predacon warriors, hoping to come up with a winning strategy to finally defeat the Pawtobots.

“It isn’t going well.”

“OK, so how about we build a giant purple griffin robot in the middle of the desert using stolen aeroplane parts, give it tentacle hair, and use it to conquer the world!” Megafox said before turning to his assembled warriors, who were all sitting around a large conference table. The Transfurmers cheered and yelled in agreement at his masterful plan, all except for his most loyal confidant and communications officer: the tiny blue fennec robot and spymaster, Soundvulpe.

“You have concerns?” Megafox asked.

“Permission to speak freely Megafox?” Soundvulpe asked, his deep and incredibly recognisable voice reverberating off the walls of the Nemesis spacecraft.

“Permission granted.”

“That is the stupidest idea you’ve ever had.”

The crowd of robots fell silent as the tyrannical ruler of the Predacons glared at his subordinate. Seconds passed as they held their breath…or they would have done if they could breath because, you know, robots.

Finally, Megafox closed his optics and nodded in agreement. Only Soundvulpe ever felt confident enough to challenge his leader, a right he had gained from the millions of years they had spent hustling mechanimals out of their energon back at Zybertron. He flopped into his chair in resignation to another stupid plan.

Well that’s not exactly true, he thought. There was one other, but she betrayed me. She betrayed all Predacons. In fact, it was exactly four million years ago to the day…

“MEGAFOX HAS SAT DOWN! I, STARWEASEL, NOW LEAD THE PREDACONS!” a grating voice bellowed from his right. Megafox turned to stare at the red and grey weasel-jet. No emotion showing on his face, he raised his right arm and aimed the powerful orange and green fusion cannon attached to it at his overenthusiastic second-in-command’s chest. He waited a second to let this fact sink in.

“MEGAFOX, PLEASE! HAVE MERCY!” shouted Starweasel, and Megafox considered it.

For about half a second.

The shot blew Starweasel’s chest apart and threw him to the floor. His two seeker subordinates (and easily marketable recolours) Stoatwarp and Thunderferret dragged their commander off to a Cryogenic Regeneration chamber. Megafox placed a paw to his forehead in frustration.

I wonder if Hoptimus has this much trouble with his subordinates?


“Meanwhile, at the mountain base of the heroic Pawtobots, all is quiet aboard the Ark spacecraft.”

An explosion ripped through the outer hull of the ship, shining light on the carnage within.

“I honestly don’t know why I bother.”

“Preymus dammit Wheeljackrabbit!” Hoptimus Prime shouted as she made her way through the now smoke-wreathed interior of the ship. She illuminated her purple optics to try and get a better view of her surroundings, but found it useless.

“Why do you always assume it’s me?” a white rabbit-car answered through the smoke, his large ears blinking in time with his speech.

“Oh I don’t know,” Hoptimus said in mocking tones. “Maybe it’s because EVERY SINGLE TIME there’s been an explosion aboard this ship that wasn’t due to a Predacon attack it’s because you were mucking around in your lab with something without telling me!”

“In fairness Hoptimus, we didn’t think things would go this badly,” the voice of the scientist’s partner-in-crime said. As the smoke finally began to clear, Hoptimus turned and glared at Badgchet, the Pawtobots’ resident badger-bot, ambulance and mechanic.

“You’re supposed to be the sensible one Badgchet!” Hoptimus said, pointing an admonishing finger at one of her oldest friends. “Half the time Wheeljackrabbit’s experiments end up with half our team in the mechanic bay!”

“Well at least he keeps me in a job,” Badgchet said as he smiled at his leader. Immediately he knew that was the wrong thing to say. Hoptimus had the patience required of a Prime, but everyone had their limits.

“Just…just clean this up,” Hoptimus said, deflated. She turned and exited the lab. She really could not be bothered dealing with this. Not today. As she walked towards her private quarters, the revving tiny engine came down the hall. She lifted her foot as a tiny brown car almost drove into it. The tiny vehicle jumped and changed form into the youngest and happiest member of their troop, Shrew Shot.

“Hi Hoptimus!” the tiny shrew-bot said. “Sorry, was just testing out the new suspension Badgchet installed! Works a treat!”

“That’s great Shrew Shot,” Hoptimus said, though her tone was resigned.

“Hey, everything OK Bun Bot?” Shrew Shot asked, concerned for her mentor and friend.

“Yeah yeah I’m fine, just got something I need to do. In private.”

“Oh OK, I’ll see you around then!” Shrew Shot said before transforming back to car mode rounding a corner.

“Everything OK sir?” a new voice cut in. Hoptimus turned and then looked up to the massive form of Bulltra Magnus, her second-in-command. “You seem depressed.”

“I’m fine Magnus, really,” Hoptimus lied through her faceplate.

“You know I can tell when you’re lying sir,” Bulltra Magnus said. “It’s that day, isn’t it?”

“Yes, four million years…”

“Enough said sir. I’ll take command for the rest of the day, shall I?” Bulltra requested, placing a hoof on his commander’s shoulders.

“Thank you old friend,” Hoptimus said, touching the hoof on her shoulder. “I just need some time.” With that said, Bulltra Magnus stomped off to deal with the day’s trials. Hoptimus smiled under her faceplate and finally made it to her quarters.

Megafox sighed and looked around the conference room as his warriors argued. Some put forward slight variations of older plans, while others came up with quite ridiculous ones that weren’t even based in the realm of reality.

“I say we get them to sell their weapons. No guns, no fighting!” the portly cheetah-jeep offered. Cheet’Em, one of the Comcaticons, was always looking to increase his energon accounts.

“Why don’t we just shoot them!” Tiggerhappy, a blue tiger-jet exclaimed.

“If it was that simple to destroy the Pawtobots, we would have done it by now,” Soundvulpe answered, not unreasonably.

Megafox had to admit though, maybe all he needed was a simple plan. He’d tried plenty of complex ones and they had all blown up in his face. All these years he thought he needed to destroy Hoptimus, not just physically, but emotionally. Now he was just sick of the war, sick of the fighting, and sick of Predacons getting hurt due to that arrogant, ignorant rabbit.

As his soldiers continued to argue, none of them noticed as he got up from his seat, transformed to his tank mode, and drove out of the conference room. He was so glad he’d decided to get a new alternate mode after being a gun for months. Why he ever thought it was a good idea to let Starweasel be his wielder was anyone’s guess. Yes, he was one of the best shots of the Predacons, but he kept accidentally trying to smash Megafox against walls.

He drove on towards his quarters. Once he was inside he changed back to his robot mode and sat in his chair in front of a large screen. He checked the date and sighed. Millions of years ago he had decided that every year, on this day, he would watch this video; it was the reason he was where he was now, why he could never forgive Hoptimus for what she had done.

He brought up the file, sat back and steepled his fingers as he watched history be retold.

Four million years ago, Zybertron, Capital City of Iacon, Zybertronian Police Department, Precinct Alpha.

“I can’t do this.”

“You’ll be fine Hoptimus,” Megafox assured, placing an arm on his friend’s shoulder. Ever since finding out that the Senate leader, Alpha Lion, had been capturing the Predacons succumbing to the savage-plague, she’d been worried about having to go up in front of the press. “Just remember, stick to the facts of the case. If they ask you a question, try and answer it with another question. Like this.” Megafox then held out his paw as if holding a microphone. “‘Hoptimus Pax, what can you tell us about the case of the savage Zybertronians?’” he said before turning to the other side and hitching his voice slightly, emulating the rabbit-bot’s audio. “‘Was this a difficult case? Yes, yes it was.’ Ya see, easy.”

“You should be up there with me,” Hoptimus said, turning to the tall silver fox-bot and staring into his green optics.

“Well, am I cop? No, no I am not,” Megafox answered back, leaning against the ornamental holographic plants in the ZPD’s foyer. He turned and looked over to Bulltra Magnus, Precinct One Chief, and the new Matrix bearer Sheptimal Prime, the ewe-bot glancing over and waving to Hoptimus.

“Actually, I’ve been thinking about that…” Hoptimus said as she withdrew a data slate from her storage unit. She handed it to Megafox, who looked down as the screen activated. “It’d be nice to have a partner.” The screen showed an application program for the ZPD. He looked back to Hoptimus, dumbfounded. “You’re going to be needing this to defend yourself with,” she said, handing Megafox the orange and green fusion cannon that she’d used as evidence of his street scams. The cannon was supremely powerful, but he’d been trying to sell it on the streets to labourer classes like himself, who were forbidden from having energy weapons.

He took the cannon and placed it on his arm, where it locked in and began installing its integration program, allowing him to use it in either robot or drill-tank mode. He nodded at Hoptimus in agreement, but before they could speak, she was called over by Sheptimal and Bulltra Magnus to speak to the press. Megafox simply watched in admiration as he started uploading his data on the application slate.

“Officer Pax, what can you tell us about the hate-affected bots?”

“Well, are they all Predacons…yes, yes they are.”

“What do you think is causing this?”

“Well, it could be something do with their programming. Millions of years ago, Predacons were the violent hunters in service to our masters, the Quintessons. They helped the labour class Pawtobots in enslavement, but we rose up together once they became fully self-aware…however, it seems they may be reverting.”

Megafox froze at those words, and he stared in disbelief. Had she really just said those things? Was she not listening to herself? The rest of the conference kept going and he saw other bots getting anxious, the Pawtobot reporters looking at their Predacon counterparts in fear. Hoptimus seemed oblivious as she kept talking, the crowd getting more upset. Eventually, Sheptimel Prime ushered Hoptimus away from the stage, and the cop bounced over to him. She was smiling. She was pleased with herself!

“Wow! Well that went better than expected!” she said as she bounded up to him, a smile spread across her face.

“Really now? What part? The part where you stabbed me in the back or where you then twisted the knife?” Megafox snarled, crushing the application tablet in his paw.

“What?” Hoptimus asked, confused.

“Predacons going savage could be due to their programming? Helping the Quintessons enslave Pawtobots? Is that really what you think!?”

“Look, I just stated the facts. There’s not been a single Pawtobot gone savage!”

“But a Predacon like me could, huh?”

“Megafox, stop it, you’re not like those other Predacons…”

“Oh there’s a them now!? You make me sick Hoptimus! Probably best if you don’t have a Predacon as a partner,” Megafox growled and threw the crushed data slate to the ground. He turned and transformed into his drill-tank mode, starting to speed away.

“Megafox wait!” Hoptimus screamed as she turned to truck mode and drove after him, her mind racing. She’d fucked up, she’d fucked up badly. If she could just stop him and explain, apologise, make another statement, sort it out all with him before she said anything it’d be alright! As Megafox went to drive through the doors of the precinct, she gunned it and used her superior speed to slam into the back of him, the only thing she could think of to stop him leaving. Instead of stopping him however, it caused him to jump forward…right into the path of a tiny blue van she recognised as Soundvulpe, Megafox’s friend. Megafox careened into the van and both slammed into a wall before transforming back to robot mode.

“You see? I told you those Pawtobots ain’t done no good for a Pred bro!” the tiny blue robot wailed as Judy turned back to robot mode.

“I’m so sorry…” she tried to say, but before she could do anything, a powerful blast of fusion energy rang out, blasting a hole in the roof of the precinct. She turned and saw Megafox, the fusion cannon she had just given him smoking at the barrel. Around him, reporters broadcast the rest of the exchange live all over Zybertron.

“YES, I DO SEE MY FRIEND! DO YOU SEE MY PREDACON BRETHREN!? See how this Pawtobot officer of the law abuses her position of power and privilege and attacks a mammal whose only crime is that he wants nothing to do with her?”

“No, please, that’s not what…” Hoptimus tried to say, but it was no use. Her words were drowned out by the clamouring of Predacons, angry at their low status in society for so long. The shouts of angry Pawtobots in response filled the remaining air until another cannon blast echoed in the building.

“These Pawtobot weaklings are right to be afraid of us Predacons!” Megafox shouted, his voice echoing louder than the blast. “We will no longer be marginalised for the crimes of our creators! The Quintessons enslaved all Zybertronians! Not just the meek Pawtobots! Without our strength, they would have never been free! But all they remember are the Predacons who were as helpless as they were to rebel! The Pawtobots would still be slaves if we had not fought with them…and maybe it is time we started fighting for ourselves!” Megafox turned to his fellows Predacons, who started making moves towards him; even the police Preds were drawn to this silver-tongued fox. Pawtobot members tried to stop them, but to no avail, even the mighty Rhinobots couldn’t hold them back. At that moment, all eyes focused on Megafox as he stared back at Hoptimus, his green optics now turning a hate-filled red.

“PREDACONS! TRANSFORM AND RISE UP!”

Whether he meant it at the time or not, Megafox had created a rallying cry to the Predacon cause. Always feared and never respected, many Predacons were forced into menial low paying jobs with no hope of upward mobility. Great artists, scientists and healers toiling away in the energon mines, only paid enough to get completely wasted of low grade engex and return to their holes. Meanwhile, the ruling Pawtobot council did nothing but take and take from their workers, closing factories and automating them, depriving those who had little with what they couldn’t afford to lose. The Pawtobot security cracked down hard on any dissent. There were sympathisers, like Hoptimus, who treated Predacons and Pawtobots equally, even arresting members of the senate, for all the good they did. She learned of Megafox, a miner who articulated his thoughts through poetry and song and opened her eyes to the real problems. She contacted him, and they began working together, hoping to achieve political revolution rather than a violent one.

That all changed with the savage virus.

Predacons started becoming violent and attacking randomly all over the planet, drying up any sympathy they had. Intolerance and anger grew exponentially…and it all came to a head at the press conference.

The Predacons needed an articulate, forward planning, and powerful leader. Megafox fit that to a tee. His rallying cry mobilised those Predacons who were on the fence, seeing someone who had only tried to help the Pawtobots get attacked, or so their narrative read, broke the camel-bot’s back. Within days the planet was engulfed in riots, and within weeks it was all-out civil war. Countless bots died on each side. The Predacons had the superior offensive firepower, but that was offset by the superior defensive work of the Pawtobots. The war raged for a year before Hoptimus took a command role in the Pawtobot hierarchy, her leadership and strategic ability only matched by Megafox’s rage and tactical acumen. As fuel began to dwindle and hate was piled upon them, the Predacons decided to leave the planet to find resources elsewhere. They were hotly pursued by the Pawtobots, not wanting their enemy to gain an advantage, Megafox assumed. The subsequent battle caused the two ships to crash-land on Earth, sending them into a four-million-year-long hibernation, only for the war to begin again in earnest.

Or that was how Megafox remembered the story, in any case.

Many times, Hoptimus tried to speak to Megafox, but her new rank of Prime infuriated the Predacon leader, as he saw it as further evidence of her betrayal, leading the forces that sought to vilify and destroy his warriors. Their individual fights became the stuff of legends, as his ferocity was matched by her determination.

Hoptimus sighed as she finished viewing the official history. She lay back in her chair and sank into it. A few seconds later, any other occupant would have heard sobs of grief

Suddenly, a light started blinking on her command console. She stared at it in disbelief. It was a special secure line that she had created when she first met with Megafox. Her spark started pulsing faster as she reached her paw over the button. She hesitated, hoping it wasn’t a glitch in her optics. She pressed the button, and Megafox appeared on her screen. Behind her faceplate she smiled; he’d reached out to her for the first time in four million years…

“I’m tired, Hoptimus. Tired of the fighting, tired of the senseless slaughter. I want the war to end,” Megafox began, his voice old and worn out. Her spark skipped a pulse as her smile grew.

“I’m so glad to hear that Megafox. A truce will allow us…”

“You misunderstand me bunny,” Megafox interrupted, his voice returning to the hardness she had become accustomed to over the last few years. “I want the war to end, and the only way for that to happen is for one of us to die,” he growled. Hoptimus’ spark felt like it shattered, her smile disappeared and she fought so hard not to cry. It was an eventuality she had agonised over for eons. No matter her feelings, she could not allow those to interfere with her responsibilities to the Pawtobots under her command. If killing Megafox was the only way to win this war…she had to do it.

“Bring your warriors to the following co-ordinates, where we will engage in single combat. The outcome of this fight shall end the war. My Predacons will honour that. I need your word that your Pawtobots will do the same.”

“Of course,” Hoptimus answered. The implication of her Pawtobots not being honourable stung.

“We meet in 24 hours. Goodbye Hoptimus,” Megafox finished and ended the communication.

Hoptimus’ sobs of grief were so loud they could be heard from the other side of the Ark.

24 hours later, the Predacons wait at the agreed co-ordinates, the heart of the Arizona desert, no Earthling mammals around for miles.

“You sure about this commander?” Soundvulpe asked Megafox as he checked his leader’s chassis for any weakness. “Hoptimus is a more than capable warrior. We could simply ambush the Pawtobots and end the war that way.”

“I’m sick of losing friends. If I can end this war with only one more death, I will choose that.”

“What about Starweasel?”

“OK, two more deaths then,” Megafox said, forcing down a chuckle.

“Megafox! The Pawtobots are approaching,” shouted out Stoatwarp from the air.

“Get to the perimeter Soundvulpe. Ensure no one interferes.”

“As you command Megafox,” Soundvulpe said as he finished his checks. “It has been an honour serving you.”

“It is I who serve the Predacon cause, not the other way around,” Megafox reminded his right-paw bot. As Soundvulpe retreated to the perimeter of the area that had been agreed as the battleground, Megafox turned to the cloud of dust approaching from the north. Minutes later, the cloud revealed the various forms of the Pawtobots’ vehicle modes. They transformed and Hoptimus addressed her troops as one of them checked her over. Megafox audibly growled at Badgchet, a traitor to the Predacon cause and one of his old friends. He never understood why the mechanic sided with their natural enemies.

Without ceremony, Hoptimus turned and walked towards the centre of the agreed arena. Megafox glared right into her eyes, his hatred of the betrayer making his spark feel hot.

“I’m so glad you decided to fight me honourably Hoptimus. I know what you’re like when it comes to backstabbing.”

“After all these years you still believe that is what I was trying to do that day?” Hoptimus replied, anger and sadness in her voice.

“Some say actions speak louder than words, but you have the ability to make both scream at volume!” Megafox shouted back, his anger getting the better of him.

“Megafox please!” Hoptimus pleaded. “We can put an end to this peacefully!”

“YOU HAD THE CHANCE FOUR MILLION YEARS AGO! THIS ENDS NOW!” Megafox yelled and howled to the air. He brought the fusion cannon up to his enemy’s chest and fired. The rabbit-bot’s superior speed allowed her to dodge the projectile easily, and she brought her own ion cannon up and fired at the fox. The shot hit him on the arm, uncoupling the fusion cannon from him. Thinking quickly, Megafox activated his primary melee weapon, an energon mace. The weapon grew from his right paw as purple energon filled the magnetic field and shaped it. He swung at Hoptimus, missing her by inches. He swung again and again, not letting up the attack and managing to hit the gun out of her paw. In defence, Hoptimus activated her own personal weapon, an energon axe, and blocked the next hit of his mace. Megafox tried to close the gap; she had the advantage in agility and speed, but he had the advantage in armour and strength. The rabbit juked left and he swung, but she doubled back and ran under his swing, an upward slice cutting into his arm and damaging the control circuits for his mace. It dissipated, causing his paw to revert to normal.

“Please don’t make me do this…” Hoptimus pleaded as she brought her axe up for another swing.

“I never made you do anything!” Megafox shouted back. Hoptimus swung her axe down…and Megafox caught her arm just under the wrist and squeezed. The shriek of pain gave him immeasurable pleasure, even more so when the axe vanished. Hoptimus tried to pull away, but Megafox redoubled his efforts and pulled her close, allowing him to give her a punch to the gut. The blow lifted the Pawtobot off her feet for a second, and was followed by more attacks. Prime’s armour started to crack, but she managed to pull Megafox forward to headbutt him hard. Dazed, Megafox was unprepared for the flurry of kicks that followed, as his enemy’s powerful leg servos caught him multiple times. One final kick to the head sent the fox spinning away and to the ground. His internal diagnostic came up with multiple warnings as he tried to get back up. He glanced over and saw Hoptimus stumble to the floor as her own injuries started to slow her down, but she was up and limping over to Megafox after a few moments while he was still struggling to get up.

It can’t end like this, he thought as he looked away, ashamed to be finished off by this Predacon hater. However, he saw that he had landed near his fusion cannon. Not wasting a second, he lunged for the gun and attached it to his arm as Hoptimus screamed, “Wait!”

With no remorse, Megafox fired at a crack in Hoptimus’ chest plating.

“Fall! FALL!” he yelled as Hoptimus took another hit. The rabbit finally fell to her knees, clutching at her chest in pain. Megafox stood up and walked over to his hated enemy. “I would have waited an eternity for this. It’s over Prime!” he hissed, snarling the hated title.

“Why Megafox? Why did you continue to fight me?” she asked as she stared into his optics, pleading with her own.

“You even have to ask, after all this time?”

“I thought that when I took down Sheptimal Prime…”

“Why should I care that you killed your Prime to take her position for yourself? It only proves your treachery!”

The look on Hoptimus’ face confused him; instead of the face of understanding he was expecting, he saw…confusion? A look equal to that began to spread over his own features.

“Is that what you think happened?” Hoptimus questioned, finally finding her voice. “Megafox…she was the one behind the virus!”

“More lies to cover your back traitor?” Megafox shot back.

“No! I chased after you those millions of years ago to tell you! You fired on our ship as I tried to communicate! Didn’t you get my message?”

“What message?” Megafox asked, the seeds of doubt beginning to fill his mind.

“The one I left with your lieutenant Zybertron! Slothwave!”

“You…what?” Megafox asked, confusion utterly taking him. Before he could start comprehending her words, his personal communication line activated.

“Megafox, this is Soundvulpe! There’s something that just came in over the intergalactic broadcast system…you’re gonna want to hear it,” his third-in-command said. Unthinkingly, Megafox activated his wrist-mounted hologram projector and increased the size of the video file as it played. The hologram showed the single-eyed, three-toed visage of his chief scientist, Slothwave.

“All. Hail…” the purple sloth said. The silence that followed felt like an eternity.

“Megafox…” Slothwave finally said.

“Soundvulpe, can you speed this up somehow?”

“Yes Megafox!” came the reply, and a few seconds later the video played at something approaching normal speed.

“This is Slothwave. I have received an urgent report from Hoptimus Prime for your attention. Playing now,” the message said. What followed was an interior shot of the Prime office in the Zybetronian senate. Megafox looked at the time stamp it was dated: just a hair under four million years. He continued to watch as Sheptimal Prime, the Pawtobot leader before Hoptimus, sat at her desk and polished her steel wool. Suddenly, an explosion shook the camera, followed by parts of the office door flying towards the sheep-bot. Mere seconds later, Hoptimus stood opposite Sheptimal pointing her ion cannon at her, followed by the massive bulk of Bulltra Magnus.

“We know about the virus Sheptimal! Ramjet confessed! He implicated you in its creation! Your spark signature is all over his lab!”

“I don’t know…” Sheptimal started to say, but was immediately cut off as a warning shot from Bulltra Magnus sailed over her head.

“SHUT IT!” he shouted. “On behalf of the citizens of Zybertron, I, the duly appointed representative of the Zybertronian Police Department, place you, Sheptimal Prime, under arrest for grand conspiracy, treason, illegal funding for the creation of a virus, cyber-warfare attacks, perjury, false imprisonment, false accusation, framing innocent mammals for your crimes, and Preymus knows whatever the hell else we can find on you!”

“So what? The Predacons deserve it! They enslaved us!” Sheptimal bleated.

“No, the Quintessons enslaved us, all of us!” Hoptimus shouted back. “They were victims just like us!”

“You can’t do this to me!” Sheptimal replied in anger, no longer able to dispute the charges. “I am the Prime, I am the law!”

“Not anymore!” Hoptimus said. Before she could say anything else, Sheptimal transformed her arm into a laser riflr. Before she could fire, Hoptimus fired an energy bolt that struck her in the chest. Sheptimal struggled to bring her arm back up when another two shots impacted her on the same spot. She clutched her now open chest as energon started leaking onto the floor. Her spark flicked, faded…and went out.

“Crazy bastard,” Bulltra Magnus commented as he stalked across the room. Before he got more than a few feet, a light began emanating from Sheptimal’s corpse. Suddenly, the light exited and formed a sphere of blue energy surrounded by an orange ball of alloy.

“By the Matrix…” Bulltra Magnus said, coming out like a breath rather than a statement.

“Exactly right,” Hoptimus said, moving up. Bulltra Magnus and her were bathed in the light of the Matrix. Part of Preymus’ spark, and the ultimate symbol of authority and leadership over the Zybertronian race. Whoever held the matrix was the undisputed leader of the planet.

Suddenly, the Matrix glowed and dived forwards, impacting Hoptimus on her chest. She screamed in agony as the device reconfigured her from the outside in, shrinking itself down to fit inside her now open chest cavity. Within seconds the bunny was lifted off the floor. She was bathed in ethereal light for a few moments before being released and collapsing back to the floor.

“What happened?” Hoptimus managed to ask as she stood up, confused by the recent events.

“It seems the Matrix has chosen you, Hoptimus Prime,” Bulltra Magnus said, kneeling before his new leader.

“What, but I…I can’t,” Hoptimus began. Her protestations were cut off by a light outside the window of the Prime’s office. She started, but the camera was unable to see the commotion.

“It’s the Predacons…they’re leaving!” Bulltra Magnus exclaimed. Offscreen a giant purple ship, the Nemesis, rocketed to the sky, seeking new worlds to plunder for resources.

“We’ve got to stop them! Let them know they’re innocent…I’ve got to tell Megafox, I need to speak to him!”

“As the Prime commands,” Bulltra said obediently.

“Look, just call me Hoptimus! Get our best soldiers together! We might need them! Just get them all and get to the Ark, we have to stop him…them, I mean them!”

With that, the two bots transformed and made their way out of the office, and the video ended.

Megafox just stood there, staring at the now empty space where the hologram had played, his mind racing. Hoptimus had killed a Prime, the ultimate crime in Zybertronian law, but in doing so she became the new Prime, and she had done it all because she found the real culprit behind the savage virus. She’d tried to tell him, every time over the last few years when they battled, but he let his hatred and anger blind him to her pleas of parley and reason.

He dropped his fusion cannon to the floor and ran to Hoptimus, kneeling and lifting her up to his chest.

“Hoptimus, why the HELL did you decide to give such an important message to Slothwave!? It probably took him most of the last four million years to get to the intergalactic broadcast terminal!”

“He was the only one I could find who knew how to contact you and the highest-ranking Predacon you left behind.”

“Carrots, that’s because if I had waited, we’d still be there…” Megafox said chuckling. “Is that why Badgchet was on your side?”

“Yes, we found him with Slothwave and he volunteered to join the Pawtobots when he found out what had happened. He’d hoped to set an example for other Predacons, but I don’t think he thought through how traitorous that would have looked.”

Megafox couldn’t believe he’d let his lust for revenge blind him so much. He looked down at the now smiling Hoptimus and confusion followed. It must have shown on his face, as Judy told him why she was smiling.

“You…you called me Carrots…” Hoptimus said, reaching up to Megafox’s cheek. With the touch, all the hate began to leave him, his anger subsiding. His optics, so clouded by red, dulled and then returned to their normal green for the first time in millions of years. He looked into her wonderful purple ones as he drew himself closer to her.

“Hoptimus…”

“Megafox…”

“Judy…”

“Nick…”

“CHIEF BOGO!”

Bogo looked up with a start at Clawhauser, who had rushed into his office. His face began to pale as he realised what his dispatcher was seeing: him with his collection of Transfurmers toys, spread out on his desk. He scrambled to get them together and held them against his chest.

“WHAT!?” he demanded of Clawhauser.

“You’re needed in the foyer sir! Hopps and Wilde just caught the Carnivore Killer!” Clawhauser said, panting, having ran up the stairs.

“KNOCK ON MY DOOR, KNOCK NEXT TIME!!” Bogo shouted back, trying to hide his embarrassment.

“Yes sir!”

After a moment, Bogo glared at Clawhauser. “Did you see anything?”

“No sir, I didn’t see you playing with your toys again!” Clawhauser said, looking just slightly past the chief.

“Good!” Bogo said, just before Clawhauser exited his office, closing the door behind him. He sighed; he shouldn’t do this while at work, and even though his wife didn’t mind his hobby, he didn’t get much time to just fiddle and play with his collection. He stared down at the two he had held on top of the pile in his hooves. Megafox and Hoptimus Prime, his favourite characters and those that reminded him of two of his best officers. He uncurled his arms and grabbed them from the pile, facing them towards each other. He slowly brought them together, his mind reeling back to the fanfiction he had composed in his head. What he said next would have only been audible to Hopps or Francine with how low he spoke.

“And then they fucked…”

Notes:

I am a bad person who does bad things to franchises I love.

Also coming up with the pun names was great. I'm especially proud of Bulltra Magnus.